Hot List Hotels 2009
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With its iconic Miami Modern architecture and guests like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, the Fontainebleau created a buzz when it opened in 1954. Now, a three-year renovation has put the 1,500-room beachside behemoth back on the map, with an over-the-top "what recession?" atmosphere and new adjacent towers housing rooms, 11 restaurants, and a $50 million spa. As a one-stop entertainment complex, the resort lives up to its billing—although the service will have to improve to keep up with the number of guests. All the large rooms, which fill four towers, come with 20-inch iMacs (from which you can make restaurant and spa reservations) and very comfortable beds. On-site distractions include the lobby nightclub, Liv; a series of high-end shops; and a gargantuan complex of pools that includes the see-and-be-seen original. Architecture buffs will enjoy the historic Morris Lapidus details—like the bowtie-motif marble floor and the famous staircase to nowhere, which allowed women to make a grand entrance.
When to go: After the New Year holiday, when Miami remains balmy.
Which room to book: In the original Versailles tower, which is close to the resort's restaurants and spa, ask for an Atlantic Ocean view.
Information may have changed since date of publication. Please confirm details with individual establishments before planning your trip.
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